Patentable/Patents/US-10585910
US-10585910

Managing selection of a representative data subset according to user-specified parameters with clustering

PublishedMarch 10, 2020
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

Embodiments are directed towards generating a representative sampling as a subset from a larger dataset that includes unstructured data. A graphical user interface enables a user to provide various data selection parameters, including specifying a data source and one or more subset types desired, including one or more of latest records, earliest records, diverse records, outlier records, and/or random records. Diverse and/or outlier subset types may be obtained by generating clusters from an initial selection of records obtained from the larger dataset. An iteration analysis is performed to determine whether a sufficient number of clusters and/or cluster types have been generated that exceed at least one threshold and when not exceeded, additional clustering is performed on additional records. From the resultant clusters, and/or other subtype results, a subset of records is obtained as the representative sampling subset.

Patent Claims
30 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.

1

1. A computer implemented method for managing selection of a representative data subset, comprising: receiving, from a user via a graphical user interface, selections of: (i) a data source type from which to generate the representative data subset, (ii) one or a combination of subset types, of a plurality of defined event subset types, for identifying events to include in the subset, and (iii) a number of desired representative events to be included in the subset; retrieving events from the selected data source according to the received selection of subset type; clustering to identify similarities between the retrieved events to determine whether the particular events can be characterized as forming a group; extracting from the retrieved, clustered events a number of events corresponding to the user-selected number of desired representative events, wherein the events are extracted based on a field-extraction rule that specifies how to extract values from raw machine data included in each of the one or more events; and causing display of the subset of representative events in the graphical user interface.

2

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein clustering further comprises placing events into a same cluster based on similarities in the machine data in each of the events.

3

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein extracting further comprises selecting events from one or more populous clusters.

4

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of defined event subset types corresponds to a plurality of subtype processes that include one or more of a diverse event-identification process, an outlier event-identification process, a random event identification process, an earlier event-identification process, or a later event-identification process.

5

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein clustering further comprises: clustering a group of events in the plurality of events to form a plurality of clusters; determining that a number of clusters in the plurality of clusters is not of a sufficiently large number; and clustering a larger group of events in the plurality of events than the group of events.

6

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein each event in the plurality of events is associated with a time stamp.

7

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each event in the plurality of events is associated with a time stamp that has been extracted from the portion of raw machine data in that event.

8

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein retrieving events from the selected data source according to the received selection of subset types includes using a process to identify outlier events.

9

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein retrieving events from the selected data source according to the received selection of subset types includes using a process to identify events associated with earliest events in the plurality of events.

10

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein retrieving events from the selected data source according to the received selection of subset types includes using a process to identify events associated with latest events in the plurality of events.

11

11. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, an execution of which in a computer system causes the computer system to perform operations comprising: receiving, from a user via a graphical user interface, selections of: (i) a data source type from which to generate the representative data subset, (ii) one or a combination of subset types, of a plurality of defined event subset types, for identifying events to include in the subset, and (iii) a number of desired representative events to be included in the subset; retrieving events from the selected data source according to the received selection of subset type; clustering to identify similarities between the retrieved events to determine whether the particular events can be characterized as forming a group; extracting from the retrieved, clustered events a number of events corresponding to the user-selected number of desired representative events, wherein the events are extracted based on a field-extraction rule that specifies how to extract values from raw machine data included in each of the one or more events; and causing display of the subset of representative events in the graphical user interface.

12

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein clustering further comprises placing events into a same cluster based on similarities in the machine data in each of the events.

13

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein extracting further comprises selecting events from one or more populous clusters.

14

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of defined event subset types corresponds to a plurality of subtype processes that include one or more of a diverse event-identification process, an outlier event-identification process, a random event identification process, an earlier event-identification process, or a later event-identification process.

15

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein clustering further comprises: clustering a group of events in the plurality of events to form a plurality of clusters; determining that a number of clusters in the plurality of clusters is not of a sufficiently large number; and clustering a larger group of events in the plurality of events than the group of events.

16

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein each event in the plurality of events is associated with a time stamp.

17

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein each event in the plurality of events is associated with a time stamp that has been extracted from the portion of raw machine data in that event.

18

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein retrieving events from the selected data source according to the received selection of subset types includes using a process to identify outlier events.

19

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein retrieving events from the selected data source according to the received selection of subset types includes using a process to identify events associated with earliest events in the plurality of events.

20

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein retrieving events from the selected data source according to the received selection of subset types includes using a process to identify events associated with latest events in the plurality of events.

21

21. A computer system comprising: computer memory for storing machine data; and a processor for: receiving, from a user via a graphical user interface, selections of: (i) a data source type from which to generate the representative data subset, (ii) one or a combination of subset types, of a plurality of defined event subset types, for identifying events to include in the subset, and (iii) a number of desired representative events to be included in the subset; retrieving events from the selected data source according to the received selection of subset type; clustering to identify similarities between the retrieved events to determine whether the particular events can be characterized as forming a group; extracting from the retrieved, clustered events a number of events corresponding to the user-selected number of desired representative events, wherein the events are extracted based on a field-extraction rule that specifies how to extract values from raw machine data included in each of the one or more events; and causing display of the subset of representative events in the graphical user interface.

22

22. The computer system of claim 21 , wherein clustering further comprises placing events into a same cluster based on similarities in the machine data in each of the events.

23

23. The computer system of claim 21 , wherein extracting further comprises selecting events from one or more populous clusters.

24

24. The computer system of claim 21 , wherein the plurality of defined event subset types corresponds to a plurality of subtype processes that include one or more of a diverse event-identification process, an outlier event-identification process, a random event identification process, an earlier event-identification process, or a later event-identification process.

25

25. The computer system of claim 21 , wherein clustering further comprises: clustering a group of events in the plurality of events to form a plurality of clusters; determining that a number of clusters in the plurality of clusters is not of a sufficiently large number; and clustering a larger group of events in the plurality of events than the group of events.

26

26. The computer system of claim 21 , wherein each event in the plurality of events is associated with a time stamp.

27

27. The computer system of claim 21 , wherein each event in the plurality of events is associated with a time stamp that has been extracted from the portion of raw machine data in that event.

28

28. The computer system of claim 21 , wherein retrieving events from the selected data source according to the received selection of subset types includes using a process to identify outlier events.

29

29. The computer system of claim 21 , wherein retrieving events from the selected data source according to the received selection of subset types includes using a process to identify events associated with earliest events in the plurality of events.

30

30. The computer system of claim 21 , wherein retrieving events from the selected data source according to the received selection of subset types includes using a process to identify events associated with latest events in the plurality of events.

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

January 31, 2017

Publication Date

March 10, 2020

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Cite as: Patentable. “Managing selection of a representative data subset according to user-specified parameters with clustering” (US-10585910). https://patentable.app/patents/US-10585910

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